Dungeon Runner

Stepping Up, Chapter 12

Tibs joined Mez at the chest, as the archer pulled an amulet out of it. "I think that's a full set."

"If I get to keep them." Tibs took it without looking, his eyes on the wall next to the chest. Mez said something, but he didn't pay attention. There was something about that section. He sensed the stone as he ran a hand on it.

Sto had done something to part of it. The essence before him was different. It wasn't a weave or an etching. Sto didn't work that way unless it was the point of the trigger. This was just... different.

It was the size of a doorway, slightly taller than Jackal and wide enough for one of them to pass through if it was a door. Because it was in the dungeon, Tibs knew there was a way to activate it and find out what it was, but he couldn't think of how to do it.

Carina exclaimed something, and Tibs spun, hand on his knife.

"It's beautiful!" She held the light gray robe against her and ran a hand over the heavy material.

"If she doesn't like the color," Sto said, "I can change it."

"What?" Tibs asked, and realized he was still looking around for a threat.

"I've noticed sorcerers like to use colors representing their elements, but I can't take that into account in the loot rotation, so that ends up randomized too. If she puts it back in the chest, I can change it to whatever color she prefers."

"Are you allowed?" The others were looking at him and he raised a finger to postpone any questions.

Sto sighed. "Probably not. Feels like I'm not allowed to do anything, but it's just a color. I doubt Ganny's going to complain too loudly."

Tibs nodded. "The dungeon says that if you want a different color, just put it back in the chest and say which one you want."

"No, this is perfect." She spun, but the heavy fabric didn't move much.

Jackal looked in the chest. "Can you change that into potions?" Tibs peered in and a sword, too long for the size of the chest, rested at the bottom.

"Not risking her anger on that," Sto said. "Sorry."

Tibs shook his head, then considered something. "Maybe you can change things so there's always potions in this chest? That way those who survive the fight can have a chance to leave?"

Judging the size of the sword was difficult since he couldn't trust what he saw of the chest, but Tibs thought it was longer than Jackal was tall. It was a normal sword otherwise.

Who would use something like that? Who had used one? Tibs didn't recall seeing one like this before. So it had to be from the nobles. Maybe theirs had been enchanted to be less unwieldy?

"No. The previous room is because I want the teams able to appreciate this fight. How they leave is entirely up to them." The pause was long enough Tibs looked up when Sto continued. "It isn't like there are any real challenges on the way back, right?"

"What did you do?" he demanded.

"Me? Nothing."

"We need to be on our guard on the way back," Tibs warned. Sto had sounded far too innocent. "The dungeon changed something."

Sto didn't protest, and that worried Tibs more. Maybe Sto was simply playing on the paranoia the previous runs had instilled, but Tibs wasn't taking a chance.

The walk out of the room was slow, to keep pace with Jackal, who had to be careful not to jostle his cracked stone body, and it gave Tibs the time to sense around them for new traps. Mez deactivated the corridor maze by slapping a hand on the plate, and Tibs stayed by it, telling the other he wanted to make sure the dungeon wouldn't alter things while they were crossing it.